Steering knuckle for motor vehicles



E. H. SHERBONDY STEERING KNUCKLE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed April 15 19203 Sheets-Sheet 1 I; M C /V :3 L 5: 6 9) //I I O I! I iZ a N 1/ :T 53 I]L! K Sumac/who;

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E. H. SHERB'QNDY STEERING KNUCKLE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Fild April 15 1920s Sheets-Sheet 2 Apr, 24, 1923.

E. H. SHERBONDY STE ERING KNUCKLE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES Filed April 15 19203 Sheets-Sheet 5 lwuentoz faf/ f7. She/60007 351 WWW.

Patented Apr. 24, 1923.

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EARL H. SHERBONDY, OF DETROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR T0 SIDNEY D. WALDON,OF

' DETROIT, MICHIGAN,

STEERING KNUCKLE FOR MOTOR VEHICLES.

Application filed April 15, 1920. Serial No. 374,047.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EARL H. SHERBONDY, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at Detroit, in the county of \Vayne and State of Michian, have invented certain new and useful mprovements in SteeringKnuckles for Motor Vehicles, of which the followin is a specification,reference being had t erein, to the accompanying drawings. v

The invention relates to steering knuckles for motor vehicles andcomprises various novel features of construction as hereinafter setforth; I

'In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a vertical section through the knuckle in the plane ofthestub axle or spindle; Figure 2 is aplan view thereof;

Figure 3 is aside elevation; and

Figure {l is a. cross-section in the plane of one of the clamping bolts.1

As shown, A is a stationar axle terminating in a bearing portion 1;, andC is a stub axle, which is formed with a bifurcation D for embracing thebearing B. To facilitate machining and assembling, this bifurcatedmember is first bored through one of the, furcations thereof to adiameter such.

as to also form a segmental face in the recess between the furcations,whereby clearance is provided for the bearing B. A bushing E isintroduced which reduces the internal diam eter. The opposite furcationis bored to a smaller diameter and is provided with a bushin F. A pivotpin G is inserted throug the furcation and through the intermediatebearing B. This pin is provided with a tapering portion H for engaging acorrespondingly tapered aperture in the bearing B and on opposite sidesof the tapered portion H are cylindrical portions I and J forrespectively an aging the bushings E and F. are pac ing rings whichannular recesses'at the inner ends of enga the gi ishings E and F andwhich bear against the opposite faces of the bearing B to form an oiltight joint therewith. L is an end thrust bearing arran (1 above thebushing E and carrying the oad upon the axle, which is transmittedthrough the tapering in into the upper furcation of the member Thebearing L is secured by sultable lock nuts M engaging a threaded upperend of the pin G.

the furcations to For attachment of the operating rock arms to the stubaxle and for also housing the moving parts in an oil proof, oil-tightand dust-proof case, I have provided the following construction:

is a cap member arranged above the bushing E and enclosing the thrustbearing L and lock nuts M. This cap is formed with diametricallyoppositely extending ears 0, which register with corresponding ears Pupon the bushing E and ears Q upon the bifurcated member D. The cap N onthe knuckle on one side of the car is also provided with a rock arm R,which forms a connection to the steering mechanism. The registering ears0, P and Q are secured to each other by bolts S, which transmit thetorque from one to the other and which also clamp the cap in position soas to form the oil-tight and dust-proof housing. The bushing F in thelower furcation is similarly provided with cars which register with earson said furcation and upon a lower cap member'T, while the latter isformed integral with a rock arm U for connection to the cross rod of thesteering mechanism.

To provide for conveniently lubricating the bearing L, the 'cap member Nis secured thereto by an upwardly extending tube V, which is closed bya. cap -W frictionally held in position. The tube V is preferablyslitted at its upper end, as indicated at V, so that it is slightlycompressed when the cap is placed thereon, the tension increasing -thefriction and preventing displacement.

By means of this tube the chamber within the cap N may be completelyfilled with lubricant and this may also be used for lubricating the stubaxle b means of a passage through the bushin E and member D into anaxial bore Cf 0 said axle. Thus, the lubricant can pass to the outer endof the stub axle and around said end to the bearings.

As a result of this construction a steering knuckle is obtained of greatrigidity which is readily machined because of the peculiar constructionwhich permits of the introduction of the boring tool entirely throughone of the furcations and into the recess between ive proper clearancefor the embraced stationary end portion of the axle. Furthermore theseating of the bushin with the flange as indicated in the upperbiturcation permits direct transmission of the weight from the pin intothe stub axle,

, the thrust bearing and nut forming ready =ings means for thussuspending the pivot pin in the bushing.

- What I claimas my invention is:

-1. In a steering knuckle for vehicle axles, a steering axle bearing, astub axle provided With a bifurcated pivot bearing embracing thesteering bearing, ears on said turcations, a pivot pin connecting thehearings, a cap housing the pivot pin and having ears in registrationwith the ears on the furcations, means for rigidly securing said ears toeach other, and a rock arm integral with said cap member.

7.. In a steering knuckle for vehicle axles, the combination with a stubaxle, of a bifurcated pivot bearing integral with said axle, astationary bearing embraced by the furcations of said bifurcatedbearing, a pivot pin for connecting said bifurcated bearing andstationary bearing, a bushing secured in the bifurcated bearing, athrust bearing on the pivot pin suspending the latter in the bushingthrough the arm. in which the pin is journaled. a cap housing the thrustbearand adjacent portions of the pin, a rock arm integral with said capand registering an ear on the adjacent furcations of the pivot bearingin registration with and fixedly secured to the ear connected with thecap.

4. In a steering knuckle for vehicle axles, the combination with a stubaxle having a bifurcated pivot bearing thereon, an axle having a bearingembraced by the stub axle pivot bearing, a pivot pin connecting thebearings,- a cap housing for the pivot pin, ears rigidly connected tosaid cap and adjacent furcations respectively, and a bushing memberprovided with an ear interposed between the aforesaid ears, and meansfor rigidly securing all of said ears together.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature.

EARL H. SHERBONDY.

